Barrichello wants to win without help

After almost two years of supporting world champion Schumacher, Barrichello says he wants to go it alone in the battle with McLaren ace David Coulthard to take second spot.

The odds are against him however, as he trails Coulthard by seven points and nothing less than a victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, with Coulthard outside the top four, will do. But Barrichello is determined to do it on his own merits, even though Schumacher has promised to help in return for past support.

"It is a bad thing to let somebody by," said Barrichello. "He [Schumacher] let me by in Indianapolis because I was on a two-stop and he was on a one-stop so we had to help each other then.

"At the end of the day you work for a team and you have to agree with so many things that probably you wouldn't like to. Sometimes it's fair, sometimes it's not. I just hope he doesn't have to let me by. I hope things will be different."

Barrichello has twice been asked to help Schumacher - in Canada last year he was ordered to slow while catching the German and this year in Austria he was ordered to hand over second place. The Brazilian was clearly distraught on both occasions, but he firmly believes that he is capable of winning races.

"If you look at my races since Michael won the title I think I have done quite well," said Barrichello. "In Monza, if it had not been for the pit stop [mistake] I could have won that and I also had a big chance in Indianapolis.

"After the team won the championship with Michael it has been proved that with a little bit of help and a little bit more attention I can do the job. But at the end of the day I have to win the race and David has to finish fifth or lower, so it's a hard task. I don't wish him bad at all, but I am going to be fighting for sure."